The present invention relates generally to a unit and an electronic apparatus to which the unit is removably attached, and an ejector mechanism that loads the unit into and ejects the unit from the electronic apparatus. The present invention is suitable, for example, for a disc array storage that removably installs plural hard disc drive (“HDD”) units.
The disc array storage that removably installs one or more HDD units has been recently proposed as a fast, large-capacity and highly reliable external storage (see for example, Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 2004-54967). The disc array storage allows only a HDD unit that requires maintenance, to be exchanged while keeping a running state of the entire apparatus, and also includes a fixing mechanism that prevents unintentional ejections of the HDD unit(s) from the disc array storage due to vibrations.
FIG. 12 shows a conventional exemplary disc array storage 10 and HDD unit 20 attachable to it. Here, FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of the disc array storage 10 and the HDD unit 20. The HDD unit 20 includes, as shown in FIG. 13, a 3.5-inch HDD 30 that has a built-in 3.5-inch disc, and a case 40 that protects the 3.5-inch HDD 30. Here, FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the HDD unit 20.
The 3.5-inch HDD 30 has, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, a width W1, a length L1 and a height H1, which are, for example, 25.4 mm, 147 mm and 101.6 mm, respectively. Here, FIGS. 14A and 14B are front and side views of the 3.5-inch HDD 30.
The case 40 includes, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, an ejector mechanism 42 used to insert the 3.5-inch HDD 30 into and eject the 3.5-inch HDD 30 from the disc array storage 10, and a body 44. The ejector mechanism 42 unfolds as shown in FIG. 12 and folds as shown in FIG. 13; the ejector mechanism 42 includes a compression spring (not shown). The ejector mechanism 42 unfolds as shown in FIG. 12, when an eject button (not shown) is pressed to release the engagement by the compression spring while the ejector mechanism 42 is in the state shown in FIG. 13. Thereafter, a user pulls out the HDD unit 20 from the disc array storage 10 by pulling out the ejection mechanism 42. A reverse action is conducted in order to insert the HDD unit 20 into the disc array storage 10.
The case 40 has, as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, a width W2, a length L2 and a height H2, which are, for example, 27.1 mm, 204 mm and 112 mm, respectively. Here, FIGS. 15A and 15B are front and side views of the HDD case 40.
Other prior art include Japanese Patent Applications, Publication Nos. 11-260048, 8-19124, 8-137631, 11-327805, 6-84338, and 2000-122815.
Recent demands for smaller and lower-profile electronic apparatuses promote studies of an application of a 2.5-inch HDD instead of the 3.5-inch HDD for the next generation of disc array storage 10. In addition, as an amount of available information through the Internet etc. increases, a larger-capacity storage is required. Therefore, the disc array storage 10 is requested to install more HDD units 20. Accordingly, the instant inventor has attempted to achieve a smaller HDD unit 20 than the mere application of the 2.5-inch HDD instead of the 3.5-inch HDD. As a result, the instant inventor has discovered that the conventional ejector mechanism 42's length L3, which is about 57 mm, prevents the miniaturization demand.